Cleaning cabinet for garments



1950 M. RONES CLEANING CABINET FOR GARMENTS Filed Sept. 15. 1945 INVEN TOR.

MAE Rom-:5,

ATTORNEY bottom I5 is beveled or sloped downwardly toward the center and is provided with an outlet or drain I6 which is normally closed by means of a stopper or plug I I formed of any suitable material. The said stopper is provided with a manipulating rod I8 having a ring or hand hold I9 at its upper end. A pot 20, which is adapted to receive sediment or sludge, is attached to the under side of the bottom I5 and may be held thereto by threaded or other means. The said pot 29 is provided with an outlet and cap 2I.

A rack 22 is adjustably attached to the inside of the front Wall I2 and is formed, at its upper end, with a hanger arm 23 to which is secured a bar or rod 24 formed with notches 25. Regulation garment hangers, the suspending hooks of which engage the said notches 25, are provided to suspend the articles to be cleaned, as shown by the full lines of Fig. 3 and the dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

Secured to the front wall I2 and extending into the cabinet are headed pins 26 over and around which L slots 21, formed in the said rack, are adapted to engage.

In Figs. 2 and 3 (full lines) the rack 22 is shown in its lowermost position while in Fig. 3 (dotted lines) and Fig. 4 (full lines) the rack is shown in raised position.

The upper rim or edge of the cabinet is folded to form a ledge 28 upon which a gasket 29, of suitable resilient material, is adapted to engage. This said gasket 29 is suitably attached to the under side of a cover 30; the said cover having lapping edges which engage over the upper edge of said cabinet to form a tight closure or seal at 3|.

One or more gas pressure relief outlets with pivotally attached closure members 32 are provided in the said cover and are normally held in closed position by gravity or by means of spring clips 33.

The cover 30, it will be noted, rests of its own weight upon the upper rim of the cabinet and is held snugly in place by its snug fit around the rim of the cabinet.

With the cover 30 removed from the cabinet, a work shelf or table 34 may be attached to the cabinet by means of a bracket member having arms 35 secured to the underside of said work shelf 34 and which extends over and across top edge or rim of said cabinet. The said arms 35 are depressed as at 3B and fit within the cabinet between the front and rear walls thereof and are formed with hook member 31 at the outer end. The said hook member 3'! is adapted to engage over the rear wall I3. The said bracket member is further provided with a downwardly extending brace or leg 38, the lower end of which engages and rests within a socket formation 39 upon the front wall I2.

' The work shelf may be easily removed as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

' In the modified form shown in Fig. 9 the upper supporting member is shown shortened as I35 and is provided with a hook mem ber I31 which is adapted to engage over the upper rim of the front wall 12 of the container.

The modification of Fig. 5 shows a bottom member H5 which is practically flat in form but is graded downwardly toward a central outlet H6 and is provided with radiating grooves or gutters I 40. Resting upon the said bottom II 5 is a plate I4I havin numerous perforations I42 through which the cleaning fluid and sediment may seep. The said perforated plate MI is provided with short legs or spacers I43 adapted to keep said perforated plate a short distance above said bottom. To ensure a tight seal between the edges of said perforated plate MI and the walls of said container or cabinet, a gasket I44 of suitable flexible material is secured to the four edges of said perforated plate to form a snug contact with said walls of cabinet.

A handle I45, pivotally attached to said perforated plate at I46 affords a means for lifting the said perforated plate out of the container or resetting it therein.

A closure plate I41 having handles I48 and rimmed with a flexible gasket I49 is adapted to rest snugly within the container in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. The said closure plate when placed as described, acts to cut off the liquid from the space below it for the purpose as hereinafter described.

The central outlet H6 is provided with a capping member I I! which may be readily removed to open the said outlet.

Fig. 8 shows a method of attaching the edging gaskets to the plates I 4| and I47.

To provide stability to the cabinet when in use the same is set in a frame or rack comprising leg members 40 connected by the transverse supporting members 4I near the lower ends of said legs, the upper band or strap 42 encircling the cabinet at the top of the legs, longitudinal bars 43 near the lower end of the legs and stiffening struts 44 all welded or otherwise fastened together.

Preliminarily to operating the device, the cover 30 is removed from the cabinet and the work shelf 34 attached thereto as shown and described. The rack 22 is then raised and the cabinet filled, to approximately the half way level, with gasoline, naphtha or other suitable cleansing fluid. The garments to be cleaned are then dipped into the cleansing fluid in the cabinet; stubborn spots upon the garments may be worked out by rubbing upon the work shelf or the garments may be repeatedly dipped in the cleansing fluid. After the dipping and rubbing is completed, the garments are hung over ordinary hangers and then suspended upon the rack. The rack may then be lowered and the cover set in place over the top of the cabinet. If a further application of the cleansing fluid is desired, the fluid within the container may be agitated in any suitable manner.

If, during the process of cleansing, an undue gas pressure builds up within the container, the parts in the cover will be forced open and the gas under pressure released. Should the gas within the cabinet be accidentally exploded, the cover will fly off to relieve the pressure, and prevent the fragmentary destruction of the cabinet.

After one or more cleansing operations, a sediment or sludge deposit will accumulate in the bottom of the container. By releasing the stopper or drain plug this sludge with some of the cleansing fluid will flow into the pot. The drain plug is then replaced, stopping the flow. The sludge is then removed from the pot which may in turn be released from the bottom of the container.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7, the sediment collects upon the bottom H5 and drains through the outlet into the pot H6. The stopping plate I4! is set into the cabinet just above the perforated plate I M and cuts off the fluid from the bottom portion of the cabinet. The cap I I1 is then removed and the sediment 5 allowed to drain out, some of the cleaning fluid flowing out at the same time.

I claim:

A portable household cabinet for dry cleaning garments and the like, comprising a container for holding a volatile cleansing fluid, a weighted cover upon the said container having pressure relief outlets therein adapted to automatically open when the volatile fluid within the said container is unduly expanded, a supporting frame removably attached to said container, a capped outlet upon the said container for drawing oil the said volatile fluid and sediment collected therein, a removable screen within the container spaced above the bottom of same and a rack for suspending garments to be cleaned, removably attached within said container.

MAE RONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

